Have insomnia or anxiety? In Ohio, medical marijuana could soon be for you

Through year's end, state officials will consider adding new health concerns to current list of qualifying conditions

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Updated: 8:02 PM EST Nov 7, 2018

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WEBVTT EVEN THOUGH DISPENSARIES HAVE YET TO START SELLING MEDICAL MARIJUANA LIKE THIS IN THE TRI-STATE, -- THE GUY STATE -- TO OHIO, PLENTY OF PATIENTS HAVE TRAVELED TO SHARONVILLE TO TALK ABOUT THE DRUG WITH DR. TIM THRESS. BUT FOR SOME PEOPLE, THE LIST OF QUALIFYING CONDITIONS ISN’T LONG ENOUGH. >> I’VE GOT COPD. I’VE GOT IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME. >> EVERYTHING YOU MENTIONED THERE IS NOT A QUALIFYING DIAGNOSIS. TODD: CURRENTLY, OHIO DOCTORS WHO ARE CERTIFIED TO RECOMMEND MEDICAL MARIJUANA CAN DO SO FOR 21 DIAGNOSED CONDITIONS, RANGING FROM CHRONIC PAIN TO TOURETTE SYNDROME. THRESS THINKS THERE’S ROOM FOR MORE. THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM INSOMNIA, SEVERE ANXIETY, SOCIAL ANXIETY, DEPRESSION THAT THEY, THEY CAN’T GET THIS PRESCRIBED, OR RECOMMENDED TO THEM, BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE THE OTHER DIAGNOSIS. TODD: FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, OHIO WILL CONSIDER ADDING NEW CONDITIONS. >> IF I HAD ANY CHOICE IN THE WORLD I WOULD SMOKE MARIJUANA. TODD: SHARON, WHO ASKED THAT WE NOT USE HER LAST NAME, DOES HAVE A CONDITION THAT QUALIFIES FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA. BUT BASED ON HER OWN EXPERIENCE, SHE LIKES THE IDEA OF EXPANDING THE LIST. >> THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MARIJUANA AND A LOT OF THE OTHER THINGS. IT CALMS YOUR NERVES. IT HELPS YOU SLEEP. IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU A CRANKY LITTLE WITCH, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING, COMPARED TO PEOPLE DOING PILL TODD: YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THE STATE’S CRITERIA FOR ADDING NEW HEALTH CONCERNS ON OUR WEBSITE, WLWT.COM. TODD DYKES, WLWT NEW

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Have insomnia or anxiety? In Ohio, medical marijuana could soon be for you

Through year's end, state officials will consider adding new health concerns to current list of qualifying conditions

"There's a lot of people that are suffering from insomnia, severe anxiety, social anxiety, depression, that they can't get this prescribed, or recommended to them because they don't have the other diagnosis," he said.

For the next two months, Ohio will consider adding new conditions.

"If I had any choice in the world, I would smoke marijuana," a woman named Sharon told WLWT investigator Todd Dykes.

Sharon, who didn't give her last name, does have a condition that qualifies for medical marijuana. Based on her own experience, she likes the idea of expanding the list.

"There's a big difference between marijuana and a lot of the other things," she said. "It calms your nerves. It helps you sleep. It does not make you a cranky little witch, you know what I'm saying, compared to people doing pills."

While Sharon spoke about smoking marijuana, it's important to remember smoking will still be off-limits when cannabis is finally for sale in Ohio dispensaries. Patients will be able to vaporize marijuana buds or buy tinctures, edibles and patches.